Debate contribution: Mobile Coverage in Rural Areas

Debate contribution by Mr Stephen Dunne on 24 September 2024.

MLA

Mr Stephen Dunne

Party at the time

Democratic Unionist Party

Date

24 September 2024

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

Mobile Coverage in Rural Areas

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4645021

Read the official Assembly record

Text

Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. Along with my colleagues Deborah Erskine and Keith Buchanan, I welcome the opportunity to bring this important issue to the House today on expanding the provision of high-quality mobile coverage across rural areas and also across every corner of Northern Ireland. We have had a useful and productive debate, and there has been a clear recognition and a signal — pardon the pun — from across the House that we need to see further progress on improving access to high-quality mobile coverage. We thank the Minister for taking the time to be in the Chamber today. We have seen real progress on the roll-out of ensuring that our country is more digitally connected, and, as has been mentioned, the £150 million investment through the delivery of Project Stratum has been a game changer for so many right across our country, in both business and residential terms. While there has been significant progress, we hear what everybody has said about how there is more to be done. However, that project has transformed Northern Ireland, and we now have the highest coverage of full fibre networks right across our United Kingdom, with nine in 10 residential properties — 91% — now able to access full fibre networks. We can be proud of that, and rightly so. It shows that we are very much open for business, and digital connectivity is so crucial for the economic growth and prosperity that we all want to see. A modern society demands reliable and fast communication networks to drive economic activity but also for social purposes such as leisure and social media. There are so many modern means of communication, and affordable and secure digital infrastructure is essential for businesses and individuals. The importance of small businesses has also been mentioned, and mobile coverage is essential for them as well. They should never be forgotten, given that they are the backbone of our economy right across our town, city and village centres. While broadband has been improved in so many places, paying for broadband can, in some cases, be a bill too far. Many microbusinesses, for example, rely on mobile coverage for their card machines to work. I was speaking to a colleague in the neighbouring constituency of Lagan Valley recently, and there is a village there that has been experiencing very poor signal over the past weeks. That colleague highlighted how a small butcher's shop simply cannot afford to have Wi-Fi. The shop depends on mobile coverage, which highlights the fact that we definitely need to do more on it. So many industries rely on mobile coverage to create opportunities for our rural communities to develop their business.

Thank you, Mr McGlone. I certainly concur with that approach. It highlights again the real issues in our rural communities. The problem is not specific to the digital mobile coverage that we are talking about today. It is crucial that we tackle the digital divide between urban and rural parts. We welcome the Shared Rural Network that is helping to transform communities across our United Kingdom. As a party, we are committed to ensuring that its benefits are harnessed to boost our economic competitiveness. Exactly one mile behind the very Building in which we stand or sit is the rural townland of Craigantlet, in my constituency of North Down, which links Bangor to Holywood, Belfast, Newtownards and Dundonald. The Craigantlet area has been continuously plagued by very poor signal for many years, with no 3G or 4G coverage at all in many parts, much to the frustration of commuters and residents alike. That has an impact on economic activity, because microbusinesses are simply unable to use mobile technology to do business and communicate in our world today. That highlights how the problems are not exclusive to the west of the Province. There are challenges in every corner of Northern Ireland. The Seahill area off the A2 between Holywood and Belfast is another notorious black spot, or not spot, despite being positioned on such a key link road between Bangor and Belfast with over 35,000 daily vehicle movements. Operators have a responsibility to ensure that their network upgrades are located in appropriate areas. I welcome the Minister's commitment to continue to work on that issue. I have recently seen an increase in applications for masts to be located in built-up residential areas. That causes concern, and many of the concerns are genuine. Anybody who engages with residents who have those concerns knows that they need to be listened to during that process. As my colleague Mr Buchanan mentioned, these wealthy companies seem to have a desire to install the masts on publicly owned footpaths as a cost-saving measure rather than invest in private land, which would traditionally have been the model. That causes concern for many residents. It is important to strike a balance. As the Minister highlighted, the planning process is there for a reason — to take both views into account — and it is important that that continues as we seek to ensure that high-quality mobile coverage across Northern Ireland is improved. That is why we tabled the motion and why our party has focused on delivering change as a number-one priority in so many ways. I will comment on Members' remarks. Opening the debate, my colleague Deborah Erskine highlighted the importance of planning issues and rightly pointed out that planning is a cross-departmental matter, with several Departments being responsible. She highlighted that it is important that Northern Ireland is not left behind. She also made a valid point, which was echoed by several Members, about emergency services relying on mobile technology. We think of the accidents on our rural roads, for example. The emergency services rely on having adequate and connected mobile coverage. Cathal Boylan said that phone networks have work to do and highlighted that there are still gaps, including in broadband provision. He warmly welcomed our £150 million delivery on broadband — thank you for that, Mr Boylan — but yes, there are still areas that need investment. He highlighted the work that there is to do on the barrier busting task force.

Andrew McMurray said that barriers to mobile coverage need to be removed for the agriculture and tourism sectors. He made the important point that, in many parts of Northern Ireland, there is still work to be done on local development plans. John Stewart said that it is not just an issue for the west of the province and that he wants to see a streamlined planning process. Mark Durkan highlighted the fact that there are still many not spots, particularly in the north-west, and said that he does not like tit-for-tat motions. Given that that is his policy, we may now see fewer SDLP motions being tabled.

We would welcome that. He also talked about hybrid working and the importance of offering those with caring responsibilities or disabilities opportunities. That point can be lost: this is not just about businesses but about people struggling with caring responsibilities and disabilities. Linda Dillon mentioned some areas of Mid Ulster and the need for a balance to be struck between building infrastructure and listening to residents' concerns. My colleague Keith Buchanan also mentioned Mid Ulster and highlighted the importance of being able to access GPs and hospitals and of site sharing, which is something that can be built on. Justin McNulty talked about the subgroup and the need for better communication. Peter McReynolds talked about the impact of 4G in rural areas and about the need to work together to improve our planning processes, which is something that we can all buy into. Patsy McGlone talked about small businesses on the move and highlighted the deterioration in service in some areas over the past number of years. That is an important point, and we urge the Minister to continue to make representations to the industry about those areas where we have seen a reduction in service, because that is not something that we should be seeing happen. We have had a useful debate. I welcome the Minister's commitments on this important issue, which is one that we should keep to the fore.

1,365 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

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